iPad Storage Full? How to Free Up Space Fast

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A frustrated dad came in last week with his daughter's iPad. "It keeps saying storage is full but she says she's deleted everything." A quick look at Settings showed 47GB of "System Data" on a 64GB iPad. Twenty minutes later, we'd cleared 30GB and her iPad was working normally again. This is one of our most common walk-in enquiries - we help with storage issues 15-20 times a month.

iPad storage problems are rarely about not having enough space - they're about not knowing what's actually using it. Full storage can also cause your iPad to run slowly, prevent updates from installing, and even cause freezing issues.

Pro Tip

Before you delete anything: Go to Settings > General > iPad Storage and wait for it to fully load (can take 30 seconds on full iPads). This shows you exactly what's using space, sorted by size.

Did You Know?

What We Find on "Full" iPads (2025)

• • 156 storage cleanup consultations this year - most common walk-in enquiry
• • Average space recovered: 18.4GB per iPad
• • Biggest culprit: System Data (38% of cases) - up to 50GB on some devices
• • Second biggest: Messages with years of photos/videos (27%)
• • Third biggest: Cached music/podcast apps (19%)
• • Time to fix: Usually 15-20 minutes with proper guidance

Data from celltech repair logs, January-December 2025

See What's Using Your Space

The first step is understanding the problem. Go to Settings > General > iPad Storage. The coloured bar at the top shows your storage breakdown:

• Apps - The apps themselves plus their data
• Photos - Your camera roll and saved images
• Media - Music, podcasts, downloaded videos
• Mail - Cached emails and attachments
• Messages - iMessage history including photos/videos
• System Data - Caches, logs, and temporary files (the troublemaker)

Scroll down to see individual apps sorted by size. The biggest ones are usually your best targets for cleanup.

Quick Wins to Free Space Fast

Need space right now? These quick fixes usually reclaim several gigabytes in minutes:

Empty Recently Deleted Photos

Deleted photos aren't really deleted - they sit in a "Recently Deleted" folder for 30 days. Go to Photos > Albums > Recently Deleted > Select > Delete All. This alone often frees up gigabytes.

Clear Safari Data

Safari caches every website you visit. Go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. You'll need to log back into websites, but this can free 1-5GB.

Delete Downloaded Podcasts/Videos

Streaming apps like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Apple Podcasts download content for offline viewing. Check each app and delete downloads you've already watched.

Offload Unused Apps

Go to Settings > General > iPad Storage > Enable "Offload Unused Apps". This removes apps you rarely use but keeps their data, so reinstalling is quick. Different from deleting - your game saves and documents stay.

Apps and Games

Apps are usually the biggest storage consumers. Here's how to deal with them:

Delete Apps You Don't Use

In Settings > General > iPad Storage, look at "Last Used" dates. Apps you haven't opened in months are candidates for deletion. Tap the app, then "Delete App".

Reinstall Large Apps

Apps accumulate cache data over time. A game might be listed as 2GB but actually use 8GB when you include cached files. Delete and reinstall the app to get a fresh start. You'll lose game saves unless they're backed up to iCloud.

Offload vs Delete

• Offload: Removes app but keeps documents and data. Reinstall to restore everything.
• Delete: Removes app AND all its data. Start fresh if you reinstall.

Photos and Videos

Photos and videos are usually the biggest storage hog. A few years of photos can easily hit 30-50GB.

Use iCloud Photos (Recommended)

The best long-term solution is iCloud Photos with "Optimise iPad Storage" enabled. This keeps full-resolution photos in iCloud and smaller versions on your iPad, automatically managing space as needed.

1. Go to Settings > Photos
2. Turn on iCloud Photos
3. Select Optimise iPad Storage

The catch: you need enough iCloud storage. 50GB costs £0.99/month, 200GB costs £2.99/month. Worth it for most people.

Transfer Photos to Computer

If you don't want to pay for iCloud, transfer photos to your computer regularly. Connect your iPad, import photos using Photos app (Mac) or Windows Photos, then delete them from your iPad.

Delete Old Screenshots and Downloads

Screenshots and saved images accumulate quickly. In Photos, check your "Screenshots" album - you probably don't need most of them.

Warning

Don't forget: After deleting photos, empty the Recently Deleted folder. Photos stay there for 30 days, still using storage.

The System Data Problem

"System Data" (previously called "Other") is the most frustrating category. It includes caches, logs, voice files, and temporary data. It can grow to 20-30GB or more, especially on older iPads.

What's Actually in System Data?

• Safari cache and offline reading list
• Email and message caches
• App caches (Instagram, Facebook, etc.)
• Siri voices and dictation data
• Software update files
• iOS system logs
• Corrupted or stuck downloads

How to Reduce System Data

1. Clear Safari: Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data
2. Restart your iPad: This clears some temporary caches
3. Delete and reinstall large apps: Their caches go with them
4. Check Messages: Old conversations with photos/videos use a lot of space
5. Remove unused Siri languages: Settings > Siri & Search > Language

When System Data Won't Budge

Sometimes System Data is genuinely stuck. If you've tried everything and it's still showing 20GB+, the nuclear option (factory reset) might be needed. Back up first.

Using iCloud Properly

Many people confuse iPad storage with iCloud storage. They're separate:

iCloud Storage Plans (UK)

• 50 GB: £0.99/month - Good for one person, photos only
• 200 GB: £2.99/month - Good for family sharing
• 2 TB: £8.99/month - Heavy users, photographers

What to Put in iCloud

• Photos: Enable iCloud Photos with Optimise iPad Storage
• Backups: Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup
• Files: Store documents in iCloud Drive instead of on-device

The Nuclear Option

If nothing else works and System Data is still eating 20-30GB, a factory reset and restore often fixes it. This is drastic but effective.

How to Reset Properly

1. Back up your iPad: Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now. Or connect to your computer.
2. Note your Apple ID: You'll need it to reactivate
3. Erase: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Erase All Content and Settings
4. Set up as new or restore: Setting up as new gives you the cleanest result, but you'll lose app data and settings

Warning

Warning: Restoring from backup may bring back the bloated caches. If you want maximum space recovered, set up as new iPad rather than restoring. You'll need to reinstall apps and sign back into everything.

When to Consider a New iPad

If you're constantly fighting storage on a 32GB or 64GB iPad, you may have simply outgrown it. Unfortunately, iPad storage can't be upgraded. The next time you buy, get at least 128GB - the price difference is worth it for the years of hassle-free use.

Frequently Asked Questions